2018 BMW M5 Drift-Battles 2017 Mercedes-AMG E63

It just got here, but it isn’t too early to see a slugfest between the all-new BMW M5 and the Mercedes-AMG E63.

It seems like only yesterday that BMW took the wraps off the new-for-2018 M5. But in that short amount of time, we’re — surprise — seeing a lot that we like. Take this visual poetry that is the newest M-car duking it out against the arch-rival Mercedes-AMG E63, for example.

Curated by YouCar, the video pits the brand-new Bimmer against Mercedes’ hottest midsize for 2017. Mercifully, the footage is devoid of any commentary. Instead, we’re treated to a soundtrack of mostly engine noise and smoking tires. Just the way we like it.

For those of you interested in the tale of the tape, the M5 is powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. It cranks out 600 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, which is controlled by an M xDrive all-wheel drive unit. But while the car is nominally full-time all-wheel drive, it’s customizable in case drivers want to send power exclusively to the rear wheels.

As for the Benz, which is new for 2017, power also comes from a twin-turbo V8, though it’s a 4.0-liter here. While it has 12 more horses under the hood than the M5, it, too, is all-wheel drive and cranks out 553 lb-ft of torque. Both cars hit zero to 62 in 3.4 seconds. However, the M5 has the edge in top speed: 189 mph versus 186 mph for the Mercedes. In all, it makes for one hell of an even match. So which one would we choose? Do you really have to ask?

James Derek Sapienza has worked as a writer and editor in the world of automotive journalism since 2015.

He has a BS in History at SUNY Brockport, with a focus on American popular culture. A fan of the classics with a special interest in German cars, he is a proud owner of a 1991 W124 Mercedes. He is a frequent contributor to Mustang Forums, MBWorld, 5Series, Rennlist, and more.